I stood there for a moment as the villagers began to move according to the instructions I had given, and although everything was progressing well, I knew very clearly that without proper tools, their efforts would slow down quickly, no matter how willing they were to work.
Tools were necessary.
Without them, hunting would be harder, building would take longer, and even simple tasks would become exhausting.
But I did not show that concern on my face.
Instead, I looked at them and spoke calmly.
"Before anything else," I said, "there should be tools left behind in this village."
The villagers paused slightly, their attention returning to me.
"This place was not always abandoned," I continued. "The people who lived here before us would have had equipment for hunting, farming, and building. It is unlikely that everything was taken."
Murmurs spread.
That made sense.
I turned to Zhang Lei and the others.
